The Little Cinder Witch
by LadyLunaTwilight
Summary: This is a mix of Howl's Moving Castle and my favorite movie of all time, Ever After. If you don't like demons, evil stepmothers, and blonde princes then don't read. Sophie stars as the real Cinderella, with a magical twist. T for now may change later. I won't update much until my other story is finished but I hope you enjoy the start of this one!
1. prologue

I do not own the characters from Howl's Moving Castle. This is a mix of Howl's Moving Castle and my favorite movie of all time, Ever After. I don't own anything from that either,though I wish I did. Sophie stars as the real Cinderella, with a magical twist.

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Once upon a time, there lived a little girl who loved her father very much. Her name was Sophie de Angeline, she was the daughter of the Countess Natalie de Longcree and the Baron Fredrick de Angeline. The Countess died when Sophie was a baby leaving her father to raise her by himself.

They lived on a large estate in a grand mansion with many servants to help tend to the grounds. Although she seemed very happy growing up, her father thought she needed a womanly figure in her life.

So when Sophie was 5 years old her father remarried, to the Barroness Wilma de Gent who came to live with them bringing her two daughters Martha and Lettie. A few weeks later the Baron mysteriously died, no one knew how or why but he did. After the funeral the Baroness dismissed all the servants so as to have more money to spend on things for herself and her daughters.

With them gone she forced little Sophie to do all the work on the estate. Sophie was tormented by her new so called family who made sure that her had absolutely no happiness in her life, no bed, no new clothes or toys, and no friends at all.

This continued until Sophie was 8 years old, the once thriving lively little girl who would climb trees, play Kings with the local boy, and tell all manner of grand stories had become nothing more than a rag doll. To be trashed and starved if she did the tiniest thing wrong in the eyes of her step family.

Sophie felt like her heart would be broken forever. Until one night...


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 Catch a Falling Star and put it your Pocket, Never let it Fade Away**

Little Sophie had found herself in a large meadow full of flowers and a small cottage nestled near a small river running through it. Her step-family had once again driven her away from her own home at the manor.

She knew that when she went back she would be punished for disappearing, her stepmother would most likely lock her in the cellar with no food or light again. She just hoped that they would not forget that she was down there as they had before.

When they did it was often for a few days, she was not sure if she could survive that for much longer as they were already starving her by giving her nothing but table scraps.

She looked up at the star filled sky, each star twinkling like a diamond in the night. As she watched them she saw a falling star and made a wish.

"I wish that I could have a friend, just one so I don't have to feel so lonely anymore."

As tears silently slid down her cheeks, she noticed that the star appeared to be coming towards her. She ran as fast as she could and tried to catch it. Sparks flew all around her as star landed into her open hands.

Looking at the star, it looked to Sophie like a little person.

"Hello" whispered Sophie, still amazed that she was holding a star in her hands.

"Hello to you too little one, my name is Calcifer. Who are you?' said the star in a it lights flickering.

"My name is Sophie. Calcifer, why does it look like your light is going out?"

"Because it is Sophie. A star can only live a thousand years in the sky, when it's time is up it falls to earth and dies. It's my time now."

"No! Please don't die Calcifer. I don't want you to die." Sophie felt her heart break. She didn't know Calcifer for very long, but for the first time in a long time she felt like she had a friend. She couldn't let him go.

"Sorry Sophie. I don't want to die either, but the only way for a star to live after it's thousand years are up is if it has a connection with someone on earth. And the only way to do that is for that someone to give it their heart." Calcifer's light dimmed more and more every second that passed.

"Then take mine." Sophie was determined not to lose her one chance at having a friend.

"You sure that you want to do that? You know what that means don't you? You'll lose your heart, our lives will be linked together. If one of us dies we both will die."

"I don't care! I am only sorry that you'll take a broken heart."

" You're very kind Sophie. It is a law in the stars that if a star takes a heart they must give a wish in return for their chance at life. What do you wish for?"

" I wish that I could have a real friend, so I don't have to be alone anymore." A sad look entered her eyes as she remembered how her life has been for the last three years.

Seeing her sadness, Calcifer felt her pain and consented to the exchange.

"As you wish Sophie, from this day forth I shall be your friend for the rest of our days. I'll do all that I can't to ensure that you have a future of happiness. I'll even teach you all that I know of the secrets of magic."

Sophie smiled as Calcifer sealed their contract by taking her heart from her chest. She felt some pain as he did so, once he finished she felt peaceful. She smiled, the pain from her broken heart was gone.

Calcifer no longer looked like a little person, he was now a flame that held and protected Sophie's heart. He opened his eyes and saw Sophie was happier without her heart. Now that he had it he could see her whole life through it. Every heartache her so called step-family had caused her and silently vowed he would keep his promise for her future even if it killed him.

"What shall we do now Calcifer? I don't think I can sneak you home without my step family finding you."

"I have watched that cottage from the sky for a long time, I believe it is abandoned. You can leave me there in the fireplace. I'll live there and no one will know. I have an idea that might work so that we will always be in contact with each other."

Calcifer then gathered a bit of magic in a small glowing ball. When the light faded, it revealed a small amulet, a circle made of diamonds and rose gold with a star as a crown and a large diamond as it's center. It was simple and small, only a inch in diameter, but it was very beautiful.

"With this amulet you will always have a way to speak to me or get to the cottage. Just speak my name while holding it in your hand and I will answer. To get to the cottage just wish you were there and it will be so."

"Oh Calcifer, this is wonderful!" exclaimed Sophie as she put the amulet in the pocket of her dress so she could put it on later.

She then took Calcifer to the cottage and opened the door. The inside was dusty with some pieces of furniture scattered around the one room. The fire place inside the cottage was quite large, it took a an entire wall with a small wood pile next to it. Sophie cleaned it up and got Calcifer nice and cozy with some logs in the fireplace, she even left some wood right next to him incase he would need more wood when she wasn't there.

"Are you sure that you will be alright here Calcifer?"

"I am sure. If I need anything, The amulet will let me call you the same way you can call me."

"Alright Calcifer, I must go back now. But I will see you tomorrow, the first chance alone a get I will try the amulet and come see you." With a kiss goodnight on Calcifer's fiery cheek Sophie departed the cottage.

Calcifer was what you would call shocked. A little girl kissed him, even though he was now made of fire. The feelings he felt now were strange but wonderful. He knew that he would not ever regret his decision to be bonded with little Sophie. He was looking forward to tomorrow, Sophie's lessons in magic would begin.

Going back to the Manor, Sophie was also looking to what tomorrow would bring. She no longer dreaded what her step-family would do to try and torment her. They could just try leave her in the cellar forever if they wanted. For now she had a friend, a fallen star that she put in her pocket and wouldn't let fade away.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Ten Years later

The sun rose over the mountains, it's warm morning light graced the flower meadow and the cottage nestled in the mountain valley. In the cottage a young lady of 18 years, with long, dark chestnut hair lay on a soft, goose down bed near the fireplace. As the light of dawn filled the room, she opened her chocolate eyes to the start of her 18th birthday.

She sat up in the bed looking around the cottage that had felt more like her home then her father's old manor. She had cast a spell to make the inside of the cottage much bigger than it appeared on the outside, it had many rooms that she had filled with many enchantments. She had her bedroom in the main room with the large fireplace that had become Calcifer's home over the past 10 years.

"Good morning birthday girl. How are we today?" greeted the fire demon.

"Good morning Calcifer. As well as I can be I suppose." she replied as she got up from the bed and started to prepare for the day.

"You suppose? Not looking forward to celebrating your birthday?"

"I am, I always enjoy spending my birthday with you. I am just not looking forward to the day after it." Although her step-family's attempts to torment her had not bother her much over the years, that doesn't mean that they lessened either. Every year when she disappeared to spend her birthday with Calcifer, the moment she was found after it was over they would give her the most will destroying, heart breaking punishments that their selfish minds could think of.

"What are you talking about Sophie? You are 18 years now, you don't have to go back ever! Don't you remember, the laws of the kingdom says that when I child turns 18 they are free from the law of their parents. Whether that tub of lard likes it or not you are her step-daughter not her slave. She can't have any say in your life anymore unless you wish it so. And if she tries anything you can just turn her into a toad or something."

Sophie was overjoyed, she had forgotten the law that made her 18th birthday her long awaited day of freedom. She cried out in joy as she twirled around the room. Calcifer was right, there was nothing that her step-family could do to her now and because she was a full fledged witch now, she was the one with the power to punish them if they tried to ruin her life again.

Sophie sped to the closet, only to run back to Calcifer to take care of him first as she has done every day for the past 10 years. No matter how tired she was or how much she would get into trouble if she made breakfast late. Sophie would always clean out Calcifer's fireplace and give him fresh wood first thing in the morning.

She finished cleaning the fireplace and got Calcifer settled before cleaning herself up by taking a bath and getting on a new, fresh clean gown. It was a sapphire blue color with silk flower pattern down the middle, simple but elegant the way she liked all her clothes. As she gazed into the mirror that she kept in the closet she found herself looking quite pretty. Her long hair gracing down her back in chestnut waves, her body thin with proper curves was more properly nourished then it was when she was small. The star amulet that was her first gift from Calcifer hung around her neck, its diamonds still shining like stars.

"Come on Birthday Girl, you don't want to waste the day away in your closet do you?"

No she did not, she was going to spend her first day of freedom with her best friend.

"Coming Calcifer" and Sophie walked out of the closet, ready to start her new life free.

- Time jump - afternoon on Sophie's 18th Birthday. -

It was a wonderful birthday morning, picking flower and playing in the meadow, swimming in stream, practicing a few spells that made the air shimmer and sparkle with rose petals and stardust. Sophie was exhausted and it was only 5 in the afternoon.

"Hey Star-shine, what do you think about trying something new today?" asked Calcifer using his nickname for her.

"Like what Calcifer?" replied Sophie lying on the couch in front of the fire place, trying to catch her breath after such a wonderful morning.

"The King is throwing a party in honor of Prince Justin, he is coming to spend some time with his royal friend Prince Howl. Maybe you would like to go, with everyone celebrating you could fit right in."

"I don't know Calcifer, you know how I don't like being in crowds." She was unsure, a shy and private young lady that liked to keep herself to herself. Going to a big party would be a major step out of her comfort zone, if she went.

"I know, but you don't have to be the center of attention, you can just be an observer. Stay away from the crowd and just enjoy the party from a distance. Now that you're not a slave to that overgrown sausage, you can go where ever you want."

Calcifer had a point, and if she didn't like it she could always leave the party early. Right?

"Alright Calcifer I'll go" answered Sophie with a small smile gracing her face.

"Great, and this is a perfect opportunity for you to use you birthday present it's under the coach you're sitting on."

Retrieving the present from beneath her, Sophie pulled of the paper to reveal a lovely wooden box decorated with carvings of stars. Lifting the lid Sophie was awestruck. Looking from the present to Calcifer's smug expression and back to the present again.

It was a beautiful jewelry set that matched perfectly with her star amulet. It consisted of a bracelet, a pair a earrings, a ring, hair decorations, and a tiara all made out of silver and decorated with diamonds shaped like stars.

"Oh Calcifer" gasped Sophie "This is wonderful. Oh, but it is far too grand for plain old me."

"Sophie you are neither old nor plain. I don't think you realize how beautiful you have become. You'll knock all those boys out silly at the party." Calcifer scolded, for it was true Sophie never believed that she was pretty. When in truth she was quite beautiful.

"Stop teasing, you naughty fire cracker." Sophie blushed as she took her present and got ready for the party. There was going to be some powerful magic involved tonight.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3, The Two Princes and the Star Princess

Prince Howl and Prince Justin were having a grand time at the party. There was a lot of delicious food, lively music playing, and enough pretty girls to shamelessly flirt with for the both of them. Sharing a smirk, the two bachelors went back into sea of eligible young girls. Who giggled and blushed as the young princes winked and flirted with them.

As it neared sunset the two Heart throbs stopped and to a rest at the royal table set up high on a stage. Watching the other guests dancing and laughing, the two royals began to make jokes to one another.

"Look at that one. She looks as if she was trying to seduce a pig by dancing just like one." snickered Prince Howl.

"Yes, and that one over there looks as if she is trying to pull off wearing a scraggly cat as a wig for a fashion statement." Chortled Prince Justin in return.

Prince Howl was about to make another jab at another poor girl when he and Prince Justin noticed that everything had stopped. The music, the dancing, everyone seemed to be staring at something in the distance in shock. The Princes looked and saw something wondrous.

Arriving at the entrance of the party, four pure white horses that could have been unicorns pulling a grand silver carriage. They seemed to glitter like gems as they came to a stop at the gate. A foot man that had been on the back of it, came around and opened the carriage door. Out of it came the most gorgeous woman the Princes had ever seen!

In a dress of white accented with pure silver, stood what appeared to them to be a beautiful princess. She hair fell down her back in chestnut waves that held stars that seemed to twinkle as she moved into the party. Her face was beautiful with rosy cheeks and chocolate eyes. Her skin was the color of fresh cream. Adorning her crown of curls was a silver tiara that looked as if it was made of stars, and she wore jewelry that matched it perfectly.

The two princes didn't pay much attention, if any, to the jewels she wore. Their attention was on her, they were slacked jawed at the goddess before them.

Coming closer.

Prince Howl and Prince Justin both jumped for the chance to be the first to meet this beauty. They fought each other, embarrassingly, each trying to get to her before the other could.

When they did reach her, they did so at the same time.

They bowed before her and introduced themselves. Prince Howl and Prince Justin then tried to ask her to dance with them, but they started arguing about it when they both asked her at the exact same time.

The Star Princess simply smiled politely, shaking her head in acknowledgment and answer to the squabbling royals before moving on past them.

Other young men, seeing the princess was available, began to try their luck at asking her to dance with them.

The two royals stopped their fighting long enough to discover, to their surprise, that they had been snubbed. Them! The two most handsome and charming princes in the all the lands!

Did she think that by snubbing them that it would stop their pursuit of her, well it would not. The two princes were more determined to court her, and succeed in doing so before the other could.

For the rest of the party the two princes were at war with each other trying to get the princess's attention while trying to sabotage each other. Needless to say that not only did they fail to impress her, but they also got thoroughly embarrassed in front of over half the kingdom. All too soon the star princess began making her way towards her carriage that had pulled up to the gate to wait for her.

The Princes seeing that she was about to leave tried to stop her, but she was already gone by the time the two boys fought themselves to the gate. Shame and disappointment thoroughly raked both Prince Howl and Prince Justin as they realized that they ruined their chance of getting to know the beautiful star princess.

They didn't even bother to ask her what her name was!

They turned to see the King looking down on the two of them in disappointment signaling the two princes to follow him, the King turned away and returned inside the palace.

They were not going to like what he had to say, that they knew for certain.

Meanwhile in the mountains, the Star Princess was just returning to her true home. As Sophie entered the cottage, she paused long enough to disenchant the carriage, the horses, and the footman to return to being nothing more than a tin pail, some flowers, and butterflies.

"Hey Star-shine, how was the party." asked a certain fire demon.

"It was alright I guess. I never knew boys could be so silly though. There were these two men that kept arguing and tripping over themselves trying to ask me to dance. Although for the life of me I couldn't figure out why."

"No one seemed to catch your eye or seem interesting."

"No, I don't usually feel such things without my heart. You know that Calcifer."

Calcifer sighed as he heard this. The only way Sophie could get her heart back was if she could find true love without it. It didn't seem like his plan to free them from their contract was working. He would just have to keep trying.

Looking at Sophie who was getting ready for bed.

For both their sakes, he had to try.


	5. Evil Encounter

**_Thank you to those who had reviewed. Like most authors the more reviews I get, the more motivation I have to update sooner. Next chapter will be longer. I plan to update my other story, Magical Secret very soon. Enjoy._**

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The next day Sophie awoke in her bed thinking about what she would do today. After much thought she decided to practice a few more complicated spells before taking an afternoon walk in the forest near her mountains.

Such spells included turning invisible, shapeshifting into an animal, and breathing underwater without having to grow gills.

It took all morning, but she mastered all the spells and could cast them with little trouble.

In the afternoon. Sophie found herself walking down the forest trail gazing at the many natural wonders there was to see.

As she continued on her way she found a glen of blackberry bushes.

'Those look good, I don't think anyone would mind if I take some.'

Conjuring a basket, Sophie set to work filling it with blackberries.

"Calcifer will love these. Especially if I make them into blackberry tarts.'

~ Meanwhile at the Castle. ~

Prince Howl and Prince Justin were walking through the palace garden thinking about what had occurred the night before.

They could not believe how they could have embarrassed themselves like that, let alone each other.

They had no doubt that everyone at the party had told everyone else in the kingdom of how the two princes fought over a girl ridiculously only to have her snub them.

Most likely because of their ungentleman like behavior.

"I am sorry Justin, we were best friends and I destroyed our friendship over a girl I barely knew."

"You didn't destroy it. I acted the same way, and over the same girl. We just lost our heads for a while over a pretty face. A pretty face belonging to a beautiful princess." replied Justin with a somewhat dreamy look on his face as he thought of their star princess.

"I agree, but that was still no reason to try and hurt you like I did." said Howl thinking of how he tripped Justin into the refreshment table.

"Let's just forgive and forget. And also promise to never let any girl or princess come between us ever again."

"It's a deal."

With that the two of them made their way to the stables, were their horses awaited them for their afternoon ride through the forest.

The ground shook beneath the horses as they rolled over the land like thunder. The laughter of the two princes echoed throughout the trees as they rode along the trail.

The princes were having such a grand time that they did not notice the large dark figure poised ahead of them, ready to strike.

As they got closer the horses jolted to a stop, frighten they reared throwing of their riders before running away like the devil was after them. Leaving the two princes behind, wondering what had frightened them so badly but then thinking that perhaps they didn't want to find out.

Just then the shadows around their feet began to move. The air turned thick and hazy, horrible moaning cries echoed around them.

"What is going on?" Justin fearfully whispered.

"I don't know!" Howl replied, equally afraid.

They found out soon enough. Rising up out of the shadows, the darkness took the form of a large, hulking figure.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the royal princes out for a stroll." taunted a deep, raspy voice.

Something equivalent to fear pierced the prince's hearts, paralyzing them so they couldn't move or run. Which is what they really wanted to do.

"You two saved me a lot of trouble you know, what better way to take over two kingdoms then to control the crown princes. And you boys are going to make very handsome slaves."

Now the princes were terrified as the shadows started to creep towards them.

They were an inch away from grabbing them and dragging them down into the shadows when…

ZAPPP!

A bolt of light suddenly came out of nowhere to strike one of the creeping shadows.

The moaning became screams of terror and pain as the shadows were being destroyed by bright lights that were suddenly coming from everywhere.

The hulking figure hissed in anger, but was soon simpering in fear as the lights finished off it's shadows and were now coming after it!

Before they could touch it, the figure disappeared into the ground.

Whatever had been holding the princes seemed to leave them as they collapsed on the ground.

They looked up, staring in astonishment at the bright lights.

They looked like small stars floating about like little fairies.

The star lights surprised them further by flying off for a moment before returning with the royal horses.

The two Prince's didn't stop to ask questions. They scrambled to get off the ground and onto their horses. Commanding them into a gallop, the shaken and frightened princes rushed for the safety of the royal palace.

Watching them take to their heals the owner of the star lights, who had felt the awful black magic and had come to the aid of the villain's victims, came out from her hiding place in the bushes.

'It's those two wierd boys from the party again.'

Sophie couldn't understand how two boys could cause so much trouble.

First breaking a table and catapulting a huge cake onto a bunch of people, then de-pantsing each other in front of all the party guests. Now they were attracting the attention of an evil witch, that strangely resemble her step-mother with all that fat it seemed to have.

'Hopefully its just my imagination. She was cruel but she's not that evil. Is she?'

Sophie decided to keep an eye out for those two. To save them from whatever that thing was, if nothing else.

She would look for them later though. She had a feeling that those two probably had enough of a shock today.

She also knew Calcifer would get worried if she didn't get home soon.

Besides, she has two very large baskets worth of blackberry jam and tarts to make.

~Later that day at Angeline Manor~

"But Mother. I want a prince."

"I want a prince too." said two girls in high pitched whiny voices.

"Patience my darlings patience. Soon you will both have a handsome prince to call your own. And kingdoms full of worthless peasants to rule over. They got away this time, but they will never escape from us again!" Promised their evil witch of a mother.

'This plan shall work' she thought 'I just need a little help from an old friend.'


End file.
